2007 Beacon Awards Winners: Community Relations

Cable System I

Restoring Music in the Pasadena SchoolsCharter Communications, Inc.Long Beach, CACharter teamed with the VH1 Save the Music Foundation (STM) and the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation to restore music instruction in five elementary schools in Pasadena. This partnership went way beyond the typical instrument donation program and helped polish a local image for Charter that had been tarnished due to tensions generated by earlier management. The partnership with STM generated $105,000 in instruments for four schools and another $25,000 in instruments was generated for the fifth school through The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation and Charter fundraising. Bottom-line for Charter: Hundreds of happy students and winning loud public praise from the City of Pasadena.

Cable System II

One Book One CommunityCox Communications — Greater LouisianaBaton Rouge, LACox Greater Louisiana created the One Book One Community initiative, a multi-media campaign designed to bring a respectful, frank discussion of race to the Greater Baton Rouge community through a common reading experience. In partnership with East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden, Louisiana State University and other organizations, Cox produced thousands of posters, post cards and bookmarks, an Internet site and PSAs and donated copies of the book Life on the Color Line by Gregory Williams to libraries and employees. Thousands of people read the book and more than 600 participated in the live town hall discussion that was aired on Cox4.

Cable System III

McCain Internet Empowerment ProjectTime Warner Cable Raleigh DivisionMorrisville, NCTime Warner Cable's Raleigh division served as a major catalyst in the McCain Internet Empowerment Project, a non-profit that brings the Internet and computers to senior citizens. Time Warner Cable installed free Road Runner Business Class services in the Wilson Senior Center computer lab and at eight other assisted living facilities in the community. Time Warner hosted a celebratory event to honor the project's founder, North Carolina legend Dr. John McCain, as well as his wife, Betty Ray McCain, former Secretary of Cultural Resources. The event was a major success in renewing many key relationships with local and state elected officials, as well as area business and community leaders.

MSO

Take Charge! Takes on Internet SafetyCox CommunicationsAtlanta, GACox Communications launched a comprehensive “cyber smarts” campaign, enhancing its successful “Take Charge” program that encourages safe use of mass media among families in Cox communities. The company focused on strategic national partnerships, compelling research, national events such as a Teen Summit on Internet Safety, and Capitol Hill outreach to highlight the dangers facing kids on the Internet, as well as steps parents and children can take to be “cyber smarter.” Results over the past year have been well above expectations and have included major national media hits, greatly increased traffic to the program Web site and successful meetings with key lawmakers.

Cable Network I

Freedom Week and Operation Home Base on FSN NorthFSN NorthMinneapolis, MNWith more members of the Minnesota National Guard serving in Iraq than any other U.S. National Guard unit in 2006, FSN North went to extraordinary lengths to support local military members. From June 26-30 during “Freedom Week,” FSN North had the first-ever sports network reporting team embedded in Iraq deliver live reports to Twins pre- and postgames from military bases around the region. “Freedom Week” concluded on July 1 with “Operation Home Base,” a commercial-free telecast of the Minnesota Twins-Milwaukee Brewers game. Commercials were replaced with live interactions between troops and their families; live conversations between Twins players and the troops; and human-interest features.

Cable Network II

think MTV's Break the Addiction CampaignMTV NetworksNew York, NYTHINK MTV has created an unprecedented youth campaign on global warming in its Break the Addiction initiative, dedicated to informing and empowering young people on the issues surrounding their environment. Developed in partnership with leading environmental organizations, the campaign, consisting of 12 steps over the course of 12 months, focuses primarily on individual actions young people can take to reduce their consumption, break bad habits that contribute to global warming, and thus improve their lives. Break the Addiction includes original on-air and online programming, public service announcements, an extensive Web site, comprehensive guides and innumerous resources.